Mowing-machine.



PATENTED MAR. 29;- '1904.v

J. A. CARTER. MoWING MACHINE. vA1EI1ZJGATI0N IILBD 00T. 15, 1903.

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No. 755,844.l l- PATBNTBD MAR. Q9,l 1904.

J. A. CARTER. A

MOWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 00115, 190s.

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PATENTED MAR. 29, 1904-.

'.T. A. CARTER. MOWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 0017.15, 1903.

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N0 MODEL.

No. 755,844, PATBNTED MAR. 29, 1904. J. A. CARTER.

MOWING MACHINE.'

APPLICATION FILED 001:15, 1903.

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' `UNITED STATES Fatented March 29, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

NIOWING-NIACHINE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 755,844, dated March 29,1904. Application filed October 15, 1903, SeralNo. 177,179. (No model.)

To C/,ZZ whom 7115 may concer-71,:

Be it'known that I, JOSEPH A. CARTER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Mc- Mechen, in the county of Marshall and State of WestVirginia, have invented a new and useful Mowing-Machine, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to mowing-machines; and it has for its object toprovide a machine of this class which shall possess superior ad-`vantages in point of simplicity, durability, and general efiicienoy'.

With these and other` objects in view my invention consists in theimproved construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, which willbe hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of amowing-machine constructed in accordance with the principles of Fig. 2is a sectional side elevation of as much of the machine as is necessaryto illustrate the features of my invention, this view being on anenlarged scale. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken longitudinally throughthe tumbling-rod used for transmitting motion and related parts. Fig. 4is a vertical sectional view taken through the shoe supporting thecutting apparatus and through a portion of the latter. Fig. 5 is adiagrammatic view illustrating the various relative positions of thespur-wheels and pinions for transmitting motion from the axle to thecounter-shaft at variable rates of speed. Fig. 6 is a perspective detailview showing the flanged lever-arm 75 and the lever 78 coperatingtherewith. Fig. 7 is a perspective detail view illustrating theconstruction of the endless chain and the teeth or cutters constitutingthe cutting apparatus. Fig. 8 is a plan view with parts broken away of amodified construction of the means for transmitting motion from the axleto the counter-shaft at variable rates of speed. Fig. 9 is a detailplanL view of the means -for transmitting m0- tion from the axle to thecounter-shaft at variable rates of speed.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are indicated by similarnumerals of reference.

tained at various positions.

1 designates the axle, which is supported upon traction-wheels 2 2,which are connected with said axle by ordinary clutch mechanism 3,whereby the axle shall be rotated when the machine is propelled in aforward direction, while when the machine is backed the wheels willrevolve loosely upon their respective spindles. Means may be providedwhereby the clutch mechanism may be thrown out of gear, so as to permitthe machine to be propelled forwardly without rotating the axle; butsuch means are well known and of ordinary construction and have not beenillustrated in the drawings.

The axle 1 is provided with a square or non-circular portion 4, uponwhich is mounted a slidable sleeve 5, which of course revolves with theaxle. This sleeve carries a plurality of gear-wheels, of which in theaccompanying drawings three have been shown, (designated, respectively,6, 7, and 8.) These gearwheels are of diierent diameters, the outerwheel 8 being in the present instance the smallest one, as will be seenby reference to the drawings.

The axle l supports a frame 9, having sleeves or bearings 10 and 11, inwhich the said axle is revoluble. The sleeve 11, which is adjacent tothe non-circular portion of the axle, is equipped with a toothed segment12, concentrically with which is pivoted a lever 13, having asuitably-operated lock-dog 14, engaging the teeth of the segmental rack.The lever 13 is connected by a rod 15 with a sleeve or band 16, which isrevoluble in a groove 17 upon the slidable sleeve 5, which by this meansmay be adjusted to and re- The frame 9 affords bearings for acounter-shaft 18, which is parallel to the axle, and upon which aremounted'a plurality of pinions,(designated,re spectively, 6a, 7 1, and82) adapted to operatively engage the gear-wheels 6, 7, and 8 upon thesleeve 5,' but relatively so disposed that only one pair of wheels maybe operatively engaged at any one time, while it 1s also possible to sodispose the sleeve 5 that none of the gear-wheels shall be in engagementwith their respective pinions.

This position is occupied when it is not desired to transmit motion tothe working parts of the machine-- namely, the cutting apparatus of thesame. Itis evident that by properly adjusting the sleeve 5 thecounter-shaft 18 may be rotated at various rates of speed, a high speedbeing communicated to said shaft when the gearwheel 6 is in engagementwith the pinion 6, while a low rate of speed is communicated while thesmall gear-wheel 8 is in engagement with the large pinion 8a, a mediumrate of speed being produced by the engagement of the gear-wheel 7 withthe pinion 7 1, as will be readily understood.

It is obvious that the construction and arrangement of parts fortransmitting motion from the axle to the counter-shaft at variable ratesof speed will only be effective when the wheels are so arranged that anyone pair of gear-wheels shall not enter into engagement with each otheruntil engagement between the adjacent pair of wheels has entirelyceased; otherwise it is obvious that two pairs of wheels would becomeinterlocked with each other and the machine would come to a dead stop orbreakage would ensue. I may therefore find it preferable at times toavail myself of the modified construction illustrated in Fig. 8 of thedrawings, by reference to which it will be seen that the threegear-wheels 6, 7, and 8 are mounted, as in the former construction, upona sleeve 5, which is slidable upon and revoluble with the axle. Thecounter-shaft 18, which is located in the same relation to the axle asheretofore, also carries three gearwheels, which in this instance aredesignated 6h, 7b, and 8b, and which are revoluble upon the axle. Thewheels 7 b and 8b are provided upon their outer sides with clutchmembers 7c and 8, which are adapted to engage clutch members 7l1 and 8d,which are feathered upon the counter-shaft, so as to have a limitedsliding movement thereon, while of necessity they rotate with saidcounter-shaft. Springs 7 e and 8C are coiled upon the counter-shaft insuch a manner as to force the slidable clutch members 7d and 8i in thedirection of the clutch members 7 c and 8C upon the wheel. The wheel 6"may be likewise equipped, but it has not been deemed necessary to showit in the drawings. 1t will be readily understood that in case thesleeve 5 is adjusted in the direction necessary, for instance, to bringthe gear-wheels 7 and 7b out of engagement with each other and thegear-wheels 8 and 8" into engagement with each other for the purpose ofreducing the speed, and the sleeve 5 is for this purpose moved in thedirection of the arrow if the wheels 8 and 8b should pass intoengagement with each other before the disengagement of the wheels 7 and7 b takes place, the wheel 8b being revoluble upon the axle will simplybe retarded, the spring-clutch device in the meantime clicking until thewheels 8 and 8') pass into perfect engagement and 65 the wheels 7 and 7b pass entirely out of engagement, when the wheel 8 will engage thewheel 8b, which through the clutch is interlocked with the shaft, whichwill then be rotated at a reduced rate of speed. By this simplecontrivance any danger which might be caused by the interlocking of twopairs of Whels simultaneously will be entirely obviate The sleeveportion 11 of the frame supports a spring-seat 19 for the driver, whomay thus easily reach and manipulate the lever 13.

2() designates the tongue, which may be suitably connected with thesleeve portion 1l and with the front bar 21 of the frame 9.

rlhe frame portion 9 of the machine is provided with forwardly-extendingbrackets 22 22, which are hingedly connected With an auxiliary frame 23,which comprises a curved top or front bar 24C, having a sleeve portion25, which latter is provided with ears 26, pivotally connected withcorresponding ears 27 of a sleeve 28, which constitutes an integral partof the main frame, the pivots 29, connecting the ears 26 and 27, beingin direct alinement with the pivot or hinge 30, which connects the frame23 with the bracket 22 at the opposite side of the machine. The pivots29 and 30 being horizontally disposed and in alinement with each otherit is evident that the frame 23 with its related parts may swingvertically upon the said pivots. The sleeve 28 may be described asconstituting the bracket 22 at one side of the main frame or it may besupported upon or formed integrally with the said bracket within thescope of my invention.

rlhe sleeve 25 of the movable frame 23 is revolubly connected with asleeve or collar 31, disposed exteriorly thereon and formed integrallywith a shoe 32, which constitutes the inner shoe of the cuttingapparatus. This shoe, which is in the form of an inverted yoke, isprovided with a cross-bar 33, and an approximately vertical shaft 34 isprovided with bearings in said cross-bar and in the bottom of the shoe,which is provided with a recess or step 35, forming a bearing for thelower end of said shaft. The latter is provided at its upper end with abevel-pinion 36, meshing with a similar vpinion 37 upon the front end ofa shaft 38, having a joint 39, which is disposed in exact alinement withthe hinge 29, which connects the sleeves 25 and 28, which latter areprovided with suitable bearings to maintain the said shaft in operativealinement. The rear end of the shaft 38 is connected by miter-gearing 40with the counter-shaft 18, from which motion is thus transmitted to theshaft 34 in the shoe 32 and whereby the cutting apparatus, to behereinafter more fully described, is driven.

The cutting apparatus comprises a casing 41, supported at its inner endupon the shoe IOO IOS

IIO

32 and provided at its outer end with a supporting-shoe 42, having aguard 43. This casing is composed of two end sections 44 and 45,suitably connected by means of straps 46 and bolts 47, which admit ofthe insertion between said end sections of an intermediatelengthening-section 48, which may be of any desired length. By keepingin vstock several such intermediate sections of various lengths kepttaut by means of an idler 58, mounted upon one arm of a bell-crank lever59, which is fulcrumed at 60, between the front and rear leads of theendless cutter-chain. A suitably-disposed adjusting-screw 6l isprovided, whereby the bell-crank lever may be adjusted to regulate thetension of the idler 58 upon the rear lead of the chain of cutters. Thechain of cutters is composed of a plurality of rectangular links 61,each provided at one end with a tubular cylindrical bar 62 and at itsopposite end with a hook-shaped bar 63, adapted to hook over and thusbecome flexibly connected with a cylindrical bar of the adjacent link.The teeth or cutters 64 are of the conventional triangular shape and areprovided at their bases and upper edges, at diagonally opposite corners,with laterally-extending ears or lugs 65 and 65, which haveperforations`66 alining with the tubular bars of adjacent links, butreduced to one-half the thickness of the body of the teeth, so that byplacing the teeth together the ears or lugs of adjacent teeth willoverlap and be made capable of being connected with the cylindricaltubular bar of a single link by a single rivet. It is obvious that whenthis construction is employed the teeth are all exactly alike and it isnecessary to keep only a single kind of teeth in stockV for use in caseof breakage. The perforations 66 in the lugs 65 and 65 of the teeth orcutters are of greater diameter than the perforations in the cylindricaltubular bars of the links, and the rivets 67 employed for connectingsaid cutters and links are provided just below and adjacent to theirheads 68 with thickened portions 69, engaging said perforations 66, sothat when the end of the rivets are upset there will be no tightness orundue friction between the cutters and their connecting means. It isevident that a chain of cutters thus constructed may be very quickly andconveniently adjusted so as to fit the length of the cutter-casing bysimply adding to or taking from the links and cutters of the chain.

The hinged sleeve 25, which constitutes a part of the adjustable frame23, is provided with upwardly and downwardly extending arms or posts 67,connected by means of rods 68 69 with a lever 69, which is fulcrumed tothe main frame of the machine, the said connecting-rods being pivotallyconnected with said lever on opposite sides of the fulcrum thereof. Toavoid coming on a dead-center, the upper post 67 is preferably leanedforwardly and the lower post 67 rearwardly, as shown. The lever 69 isprovided with a lockdog 70, engaging a segment-rack 71, whereby the saidlever may be retained at various points of adjustment. Anotherhand-lever 72, which is likewise fulcrumed to the main frame at asuitable point within convenient reach of the driver, is likewiseprovided with a lock-dog 73, engaging a segment-rack 74, and said leveris pivotally connected with an arm or lever 75, fulcrumed to the main.frame at 76 and having a laterally-extending flange 77. Upon the fulcrum76 is also pivoted an arm 78, adapted to be supported upon the flange 77in aposition approximately at right angles to the arm 75, and the freeend of said arm 78 is connected by means of a chain 79 with an arm 80,extending laterally from the sleeve or collar 3l, which is revoluble, asstated, upon the sleeve 25. The normal position of this sleeve 3l isassured by the weight of the cutting apparatus, which naturally when themachine is in operation travels upon the ground. When it is desired toelevate the cutting apparatus,this may be readily accomplished bymanipulating the lever 72, which by operating thepivoted arms 75 and 78,through the chain 79, connecting the latter arm with the arm 80,extendinglaterally from the sleeve 3l, will turn the latter or partiallyrotate it upon the supportingsleeve 25, thus bringing the cutter-casingto an approximately vertical position. /Vhen it is desired to transportthe machine from one iield to another, the cutter-bar is iirst raised toa vertical position and the lever 69 is then manipulated, thus raisingthe hinged adjustable front frame 23 until the cutter-casing issupported upon the sleeve portion ll of the frame of the machine whichsurrounds the axle, as described.

Adjustment of the main frame with relation to the tongue of the machinemay be effected by means of a bell-crank lever 82, pivotally connectedwith the tongue and having its upper arm connected by a rod 83 with anoperating-lever 84, equipped with the usual lockdog 85, engaging asegmental rack 86. The

lower arm 87 of the bell-crank lever is connected by a chain 88 with themain frame, which may thus be raised or lowered, thereby also serving toadjust the auxiliary front frame and the cutting apparatus carriedthereby at various degrees of tilt.

From the foregoing descriptiontaken in IOO IIO

connection with the drawings hereto annexed, the operation andadvantages of my invention will be readily understood. The generalconstruction of the machine is simple and inexpensive and the parts ofthe same combine and coperate in such amanner as to produce the bestpossible results.

I desire it to be understood that while I have in the foregoingdescribed a simple and preferred form of my invention, I do notnecessarily limit myself to the structural details herein set forth, butreserve the right to any changes, alterations, and modifications withinthe scope of my invention which may be resorted to without departingfrom the spirit or sacrificing the utility of the same.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In a mowing-machine, thecombination of a wheel-supported axle, a frame revolubly connectedtherewith,a counter-shaft upon said frame parallel to said axle, meansfor transmitting motion at various rates of speed from the axle to saidcounter-shaft, an adjustable frame hingedly connected along its rearedge with the main frame, cutting apparatus hingedly connected with andcarried by said adjustable frame, and means for transmitting motion fromthe counter-shaft to the cutting apparatus.

2. In a mowing-machine, awheel-supported axle, a frame revolublyconnected with said axle and having a sleeve integral therewith, anauxiliary adjustable frame hingedly connected with the main frame andhaving a sleeve hingedly connected with the sleeve of the main frame, asupporting-shoe connected with the sleeve of the adjustable frame,endless cutting apparatus supported by said shoe, a shaft mountedvertically in the latter and connected operatively with the endlesscutting mechanism, a shaft extending through the sleeves of the mainframe and the adjustable frame and having a knuckle-joint in alinementwith the hinge connection of said sleeves, miter-gearing connecting thefront end of the shaft with the upper end of the vertical shaftsupported on the shoe, a counter-shaft supported upon the'main frameparallel to the axle, means for transmitting motion at variable speedfrom the axle to said counter-shaft, and miter-gearing connecting thelatter with the rear end of the shaft.

3. In a mowing-machine, the combination of a main frame, rotarysupporting means for said frame, an auxiliary adjustable frame hingedlyconnected along its rear edge with said main frame and having aforwardly-extending curved bar, a shoe hingedly supported by saidauxiliary frame and curved bar, cutting apparatus supported by saidshoe, and means for transmitting motion to the latter from the rotarysupporting means of the main frame.

4. In a mowing-machine, the combination ofa wheel-supported axle, aframe supported thereon, an auxiliary frame hingedly connected with themain frame, hingedly-connected sleeves upon the said main and auxiliaryframes, a shaft extending through said sleeves and having aknuckle-joint in alinement with the hinge connection thereof, cuttingapparatus supported by the auxiliary frame, means for connecting therear end of the shaft with the source of power, means for connecting thefront end of the shaft with the cutting apparatus to be driven, armsextending upwardly and downwardly from the sleeve of the auxiliaryframe, a lever supported upon the main frame, rods extending fromopposite sides of the fulcrum of said leiver to the arms upon the sleeveof the auxiliary frame, said rods being pivotally connected with saidarms and with the lever, and means for retaining the latter in adjustedposition.

5. In a mowing-machine, the combination of a wheel-supported axle, amain frame supported thereon, an auxiliary frame hingedly connectedalong its rear edge with the main frame, cutting apparatus supported bysaid auxiliary frame, means for elevating the cutting apparatus to anapproximately vertical position with relation to the hingedsupporting-frame, and means for elevating the latter to swing thecutting apparatus to a rearward supported position upon the main frame.

6. In a mowing-machine, a wheel-supported axle, a main frame supportedthereon, an auxiliary frame hingedly connected with the main frame,sleeves upon the main and auxiliary frames, hingedly connected, a collarrevolubly supported upon the sleeve of the auxiliary frame, a shoeconnected with said collar, cutting apparatus supported upon said shoe,and means for adjusting the collar to raise or lower the cuttingapparatus.

7. In a mowing-machine, a wheel-supported axle, a main frame supportedthereon, an auxiliary frame hingedly connected with the main frame,sleeves upon the main and auxiliary frames hinged] y connected, a collarrevolubly supported upon the sleeve of the auxiliary frame,a shoeconnected with the said collar, cutting apparatus supported upon saidshoe, an arm extending laterally from the collar, an arm pivotallyconnected to the main frame, a link connection between said arm and thearm extending from the collar supporting the cutting apparatus, andlever means for operating the arm pivoted to the frame to partiallyrotate the collar supporting the cutting apparatus.

8. In a machine of the class described, a revolubly-mounted collarhaving a laterallyextending arm, ashoe connected with said collar,cutting apparatus supported upon said shoe, a pair of arms pivotallyconnected with the main frame, one of said arms being provided with aflange supporting the other arm, a chain connecting the arm thussupported with the arm extending laterally from the revoluble collar, ahand-lever, means for retaining the latter at various points ofadjustment, and connecting means between said le- Ver and the pivotedflanged arm.

In testimony that I Claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto axed mysignature in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

JOSEPH A. CARTER.

Witnesses:

R. E. MGCUSKEY, JOHN CARR.

